Saturday, May 28, 2011

About Time

The Chicago Housing Authority wants to require all adults who currently live in, or apply in the future for housing in any of its developments, to be tested for drugs — including senior citizens.

The blanket policy proposal for anyone 18 years or older has residents and housing advocates crying foul.

The American Civil Liberties Union charges the public agency seeks to place a double standard on the poor.

“It’s such an insensitive proposal to even bring to the table,” said Myra King, a resident of the Far South Side Lowden Homes development. She chairs the Central Advisory Council of tenant leaders from CHA properties all across the city.

No, what's insensitive is expecting hard working taxpayers to subsidize an entire subculture of people who contribute nothing to society except crime statistics and democratic votes. If you accept a government check, then you ought to live by the same rules as anyone else who works for the government - like us for example. We're expected to be drug free and we have to give up a sizable portion of our check to pay for all sorts of government services we never use.

If you don't want to be drug tested, get a job and move out. Of course, that might make you a republican, or maybe even a libertarian.

84 Comments:

Anonymous said...

The welfare recipients have better benefits than we do. They aren't even required to take a drug test. They will always have a roof over their head, free food and they have a constant check coming in compliments of us taxpayers.

I chose the wrong vocation. I should have become a lowdown dirty scumbag instead of a cop. It seems that membership really has its priviledges.

Taxpayers are the backbone of this city so why don't us taxpayers have any power in this city? It seems that the only thing we're entitled to is to watch the politicians raise our taxes and to keep shouldering the load while welfare recipients continue to contribute nothing to society and continue to receive benefits.

An interesting observation from a similar CHA post in the Uptown Update blog:

C.P. said...I recall reading in horror in the Chicago Tribune, when I was still a teen in another city, published journals of an elderly/disabled woman in public housing. She was intelligent and had been a professional writer in the past, and she described being terrorized by the gang members in the building. She'd inadvertently witness some kind of inner-city warfare and a gang member would burst into her room and threaten her to keep quiet, don't "squeal". I was horrified this could happen to an upstanding citizen. Then, years later I became disabled and desperate for housing and endured the same situations living in various buildings selected by my social service agency or myself, poorly. I've been criticized for it, but my perception of the average client of social service agencies is dual diagnosis, usually addicted to crack or heroin, and at the very least quasi-criminal and at the least has no qualms with the occasional theft/burglary/receiving stolen property/other petty crime issues. You know, like snatching a purse or a cellphone when the opportunity presents itself.They do not work to escape the system, in fact the only hard work they ever did was to finally get INTO the system and rest comfortably. I can't stand these people and everyday I work towards getting away from this system I'm in.The welfare/social service system as it's existed for a generation or so has created a culture that is eating away at the foundation of America. Families have been born into welfare and embrace the social norms that cause so many problems in Uptown, nobody ever seems to learn about or try to get anything better in life than a completely taxpayer-subsidized existence. There's gotta be something better in life than living in a building that is so criminally neglected it should be a front page story, a subject of outrage, then going to the rathole community center to shoot pool all day. shooting their mouth off, and maybe scam some joggers and shoppers out of their spare change.Someday I will bid my social workers and other people I have to deal with adieu and walk away from this. But I'm a rarity in that regard, if you ask me.

Yeah but for every drug related offender we lock up how many more cross the border and end up in the sanctuary city?

We're fighting a losing battle and all Washington and the local politicians can come up with is that tired old line that they gave us during the last Flu outbreak:

"They're already here. Trying to do anything about it now would be like locking the barn door after the horses got out..."

This b.s. passes for our nations leadership.

It does however help in the political remapping process by creating one huge distraction from the real issues though doesn't it. We have to give the illegal immigrants there political representation. HA..and if a semi-load of 500 terrorist cross the border the sanctuary city politicians will welcome them with open arms -- telling us how each and every drug cartel member is only looking for a better life while we reward them with scholarships and free lunches

Yeah there's another script that's way past it's prime on the b.s. meter.

Drugs are a major problem in any poor neighborhood. You can believe any child raised in this environment of the parent using drugs, will be directly affected. End the drug abuse by testing and what will they do with their time??? Maybe take advantage of free schooling, get a trade or even spend time raising your child. Dope makes you lazy and worthless. Keeping them on dope is keeping people enslaved. Just like they medicate the patients in the carzy wards.Force them off dope. Make their lives more productive. Encourage people to transform. Hit the drug dealers in the pockets. Bring back these poor neighborhoods. Fuck the ACLU and their "Keeping People Down / Slave Mentality!"

I support drug testing on SSI and public aid receivers 100%. Convicted felons shouldn't be able to collect either. And for those liberals, then how about 3X convicted felons. that should bring the abuse down easily by 1/3%.

I give credit to the person who had the balls to try to push this proposal. How can anyone disagree with this??? Why should I pay for some crack smoking ass to live for free?? Some would say what about the childern, well then they should not be living with someone that does that shit, its called a bad and unhealthy enviornment for the child and should be taken away.

you never lied. get off there butts and get a job.i am afro american and have lived in the westside area all my life.but i have a job and do not smoke , drink, never have.keep a clean house and raised two kids, who do not walk around with there pants hanging down and went to private schools. i did not walk around blaming the man. for not making it.drug test them and if they fail throw there ass OUT.

Remember Operation Clean Sweep? I do. I was one of the lawyers who represented the CHA when the ACLU challenged the program. Did the CHA go too far? I don't think so, as the federal regulations applicable to public housing at the time authorized the CHA's actions. Best thing that ever happened for the (yes, there were quite a few) decent but poor people who lived in the projects. Then the ACLU got involved. And a federal judge concluded that it was wrong to exclude people (and I use the term loosely) from public housing just because they were running well-documented drug operations out of their relatives' and others' apartments. Never mind the boat loads of street sweepers and other automatic weapons, grenades, dynamite, and handguns which were confiscated along with the drugs. The ACLU's lead counsel thought it was perfectly fine for him to live in a secure building, but completely unacceptable to provide that same privilege to public housing residents. Idiots. This new plan is doomed, as history repeats itself.

"The Chicago Housing Authority wants to require all adults who currently live in, or apply in the future for housing in any of its developments, to be tested for drugs — including senior citizens.

"The blanket policy proposal for anyone 18 years or older..."

This is insane. Typical government pratfall. The shorties, Lil' Devil and Lil' Ripper and Lil' Bro', are around by the dumpster passing a blunt while Grandma not only is left to raise them but is handed a jar for her trouble...

How about drug testing for residents 8-55? How much of a problem do senior citizens cause anywhere, with anything in particular?

Watch the weasel words, says nothing about section 8 rats living in our neighborhoods. They will be allowed to smoke blunt with abandon to drive real estate prices down as far as possible prior to the final looting of Chicago by the connected few.

Most of the time when someone helps pay my bills, it comes with a drug test. If I don't like it, I'm free to find someone who will pay me without one. While I think drugs should be legal, they should be discouraged, and this is the sort of pressure that I would support. For that matter, if you can afford cigarettes, you don't need my money to pay your rent.

the governor of wisconsin had it right many years ago--- if you are on welfare you will work, we will provide you with some form of a job--- and if you have young children we will provide child care---- they all went to minnesota and illinois instead of facing the reality of having to get out of bed every morning and doing something productive---

If you live entirely or partially on the Gov't (i.e. MY MONEY) than you should be tested.

I'm sick of tired of the argument about the stigma of being on welfare.

I saw a woman using LINK at the Harlem/Foster Jewel last week, loading up on junk food and then getting into a car that was nicer than mine. Something is very the matter with that. LINK purchases should be limited to fresh meat and produce and bakery products.

Well, Chicago would not be the first location to do this. The ACLU is also wasting it's resources if they choose to contest this decision because there are other parts of the country that have required this for several years, and it can be considered in my opinion, to be case law

Yeah well maybe. It would seem like a good idea at first glance but consider that if they can't live in the CHA, where are they going to go? Maybe next to you or me when a ton of apartments and condo's are going section 8. I would rather they stay there and be out of my sight when I'm not at work. I would support drug testing for benefits though. You fail a drug test, no link card or government checks for you. If you think that's cruel tough. I have to take drug tests to keep my job and I think it's fair that people on the government dole should take drug tests to keep the freebies they have been getting for generations.

The good people would love to get rid of the drug users a d dealers. Great idea. How about commercial drivers. They have to submit to drug testing per federal law. And we all agree to that. How about letting them test all public residents and children. The children could get intervention and help.

On this one I have to agree with the ACLU, but with this caveat; REQUIRE MANDATORY RANDOM DRUG TESTING FOR ALL ELECTED OFFICIALS.Why should this testing be limited to the police, fire and the poor. Elected officials manipulate billions of dollars of tax payer money, impacting our families for generations, and they have no accountability. In addition, some of their conduct leaves one with the impression that they were on drugs when they did what they did.

I agree with you you SCC. Motherwuold tell us when we were livingat home, if you don't want to abide by my rules then get your own place and you can do what youwant to do. You can come see me nowand then with no love lost on my part. So if the occupiers of taxpayer subsidized housing don'twant their dope selling and usingexposed then move out, get your ownplace and pay rent to a landlord.And he or she ain't gonna go forthat dope thing neither because they don't want to chance losing their property and they'll have yousorry behind evicted. No one owesyou a damm thing you CHA residentsand if people take pity on you andlet you live rent free in an apartment or house, the least youcould do is abide by the rules.Shut your trap, you have no interests or equity if you live inCHA housing. Damm ingrates !

On the other hand, they are afforded free medical assistance to get off drugs, additional monetary support for addictions that make them unemployable, and free methadone in between the basic welfare stipends. So why bother, they'll get free ride in Chicago, after all they ARE Daley's children, (as he stated in an interview).Meanwhile, government workers see all those years of paying into public service pensions being underfunded and benefits shrink. Is this (drug screening) the only way to control the fraud?YOU WANTED CHANGE - until 2012, deal with it. Recall Quinn.

If you work in the public sector then you are drug tested. A lot of private sector jobs also drug test. What is the big deal. Don't do drugs then you have nothing to worry about. I don't understand how the poor are being targeted. Are you saying the middle class is being targeted because we have to drug test.

Dope makes you lazy and worthless. Keeping them on dope is keeping people enslaved. Just like they medicate the patients in the carzy wards.Force them off dope. Make their lives more productive. Encourage people to transform. Hit the drug dealers in the pockets. Bring back these poor neighborhoods. Fuck the ACLU and their "Keeping People Down / Slave Mentality!"

It wont work. We'll still end up paying for the kicked out druggie breeders , thanks to lib-commie democrat Do-Gooders who have enslaved the unwitting aforementioned with taxpayer paid for entitlements instead of voluntary charity donations, thus using the taxpayers dollars to buy votes for the political party of Satan.

$1000 a month or more on the LINK card, maybe another $1000 or so in various SSI payouts, free rent , etc , etc. But then we have to provide free bus cards ro come to court and other appointments , the schools have to be open year round to feed their kids .Where does the government think all that drug money comes from in the hood ?

I work my A%s off and put four kids through private schools, Why cant I enjoy a blunt? I earn my money, so should they by staying drug free. Oh sorry that is racial. Did their property value drop like mine? Oh its because of the section 8, they moved on up.

To make a comment about this, I know many people who were raised in the projects, no one I know of ever has any problem taking drug tests or even working. But there are insane laws that prevent people even with low level offenses fro working. The same laws that protect clouted people from even being charged. Like John Cullerton's kid with the six DUI offenses that mysteriously vanished and were dropped. True fact.

ssi is 674.00 a month. just have a crooked doctor say your bi-polar or cant count to ten. then you get free housing. free food, free health care, plus you can fill out a form and say you babysit your sisters kids, and collect 1400.00 a month. then multiple people use the same kids. then u have momma making 62000 a year with her bootleg daycare from the ghetto apartment scam. dcfs comes and inspects the apartment. momma attends a two hour orientation class and all of a sudden she is approved to be a home daycare. then she splits the money for ghost payrolling some kid with the parents. there is so much waste and corruption that could end with fingerprinting and proper database collection.

It's seriously depresing when the bad guys get rewarded and the good guys get screwed. Unless someone steps up and alters the social structure of the ghettos, we are on the fast track to doom.

I was in court one time and an accused, a female, was 35 years old and had 18 children. At the time, my husband and I were debating whether we could afford to raise one child.

The system is broken. Seriously, I've put 25 years into this job, and they want to cut my benefits...yet all these ghetto mamas have never contributed a cent, and have reaped the benefits and will continue to, all the while never holding a job.

Has anyone thought about cutting THEIR benefits? I can't think of any reason why these people can't work picking up trash or pulling weeds during their free time.

Seriously, I feel cheated, because I was never afforded the opportunity to have 6 children without having to worry about where the money would come from...

I never had the luxury of not having to wake up every morning and reporting to work and being held accountable.

I have had a job since I was 15 years old. In high school I had 3 jobs. In college I had 2 jobs. How on earth do these ghetto entitled shitheads get away with never working at all?

I never have had the luxury of having my groceries paid for, and my children being fed breakfast and lunch for free.

Nice concept, but I can see all the fraud involved in this program and the "wide gaps" where very little will be enforced, esp. in this piss poor uber liberal city.

What will happen to all those who test positive? will they immediately get kicked out of public housing? will they immediately be homeless? what tax-payer agency will take care of them then? Will they get a second and third chance? Will they get to go through a government-subsidezed program to get clean? The only way to get rid of public housing is to allow one or two years and that's it....got to get on your feet, the gov can't be deep pockets daddy forever.

Drug use helps keep them in the system Stop /interfere with drug sales& you put the dealers out of work. They also may think about just voting "democratic" every election.

It will never work.

Drug use has become a "way of life" and not an addiction for a big majority of the entitled ones getting State pay checks every Month. These folks have to quit drugs may no longer have only one voting option.

The machine prays that this will never happen. All these voters help keep the machine oiled & running.

Why is the city paying all of these f=ing people to plant the flowers in those useless boxes? Why can't people with LINK cards work????? Take every LINK card holder and make them work at least 4 hours a day...

Since we're on the subject, why don't we have a law to randomly drug test journalists, and members of the media? Broadcasting the truth is an awesome responsibility to the public. I wonder how many would pass...

To make a comment about this, I know many people who were raised in the projects, no one I know of ever has any problem taking drug tests or even working. But there are insane laws that prevent people even with low level offenses fro working. The same laws that protect clouted people from even being charged. Like John Cullerton's kid with the six DUI offenses that mysteriously vanished and were dropped. True fact.

5/28/2011 04:34:00 PM

He has another family member at the airport that had 3 DWI's at last count. The bars in the 38th Ward probably love these politically connected jamokes.

Yeah well maybe. It would seem like a good idea at first glance but consider that if they can't live in the CHA, where are they going to go? Maybe next to you or me when a ton of apartments and condo's are going section 8. I would rather they stay there and be out of my sight when I'm not at work.

How about jail, prison, or put a bullet in them. Enough is enough already.

This is a great first step, but previous posters hit the nail on the head when they said section 8 was not included. WTF? I'm being paid by the government, I gotta drop randomly, why not all of em? And while you're at it, how about expanding the programs like WIC that actually give them stuff. Less cash in the pocket, less temptation to take food out of their babies mouths and into the pipe. You want flaming hots and pop? Get a J-O-B! And it will reduce health care costs. I see 40 year olds in the hood with stuff 80 year olds should have. And what ever happened to the work programs??

"It's the right thing for taxpayers," Scott said after signing the measure. "It's the right thing for citizens of this state that need public assistance. We don't want to waste tax dollars. And also, we want to give people an incentive to not use drugs."

Under the law, which takes effect on July 1, the Florida Department of Children and Family Services will be required to conduct the drug tests on adults applying to the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program. The aid recipients would be responsible for the cost of the screening, which they would recoup in their assistance if they qualify. Those who fail the required drug testing may designate another individual to receive the benefits on behalf of their children.

Shortly after the bill was signed, five DEMOCRATS from the state's congressional delegation issued a joint statement attacking the legislation, one calling it "downright unconstitutional."